Always Loved You || Jikook ✅

21.

JUNGKOOK POV

His eyes flew open as he
felt Jimin stir next to him.

For a moment, he was completely disoriented.

He didn't know where he
was or how he got there.

But as his eyes adjusted to the darkened room, he could see Jimin and Pop and it all
started coming back to him.

It felt like a lifetime ago that
he received the text from
Jimin saying he was at the hospital.

His stomach tightened as he remembered the panic and
dread he felt before he got
there and then the hours of uncertainty after that as he
sat with Jimin and waited.

But now they were here in
Pop's room and everything
was good.

"Where are we?"

Pop's voice was faint and
gravelly and he was completely still except for his pupils that were moving back and forth, scanning the room.

"Jimin? Jungkookie?"

"We're right here, Pop." Jimin said, half-standing as he
leaned in closer.

"We're at the hospital but
you're okay."

"You're going to be okay."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I feel..." Pop's eyes fluttered closed for a moment, then opened again as he focused
on Jimin's face.

"I don't know how I feel."

"Rough, I think."

Jungkook couldn't help but
grin.

"You've been through a lot
today but you fought
through it."

"You sure did." Jimin nodded.

"And we're going to stay
right here with you, okay?"

"You don't have to worry
about anything."

"That's good." Pop murmured.

"Such good boys."

His breathing became heavier and Jungkook waited quietly
with Jimin until it was obvious Pop was fast asleep again.

"I guess he'll probably be in
and out of it like that for a while." Jungkook said, taking Jimin's hand.

"I'm glad we were here with
him when he woke up though."

"There's no way I'd be
anywhere else." Jimin said.

"For all the times he's been
there for me..."

"And for me." Jungkook
nodded.

"You've both been the most important people in my life since... forever."

"I can't even imagine not
having either of you around."

"I don't even want to think
about it."

Jungkook could feel a lump forming in his throat.

He hated to think about how
his life would have turned out without Pop and Jimin in it.

If they hadn't been around to show him what a loving family looked like and shown him
that same kind of love and acceptance from day one
Jungkook might never have experienced it at all.

"I don't like to think about
that stuff, either." Jimin said.

"But I'm going to be around
for a while, I'm not leaving
him here like this."

"New York is too far away if something happens."

"What will you do about your job? Have you talked to your boss yet?"

Jimin shook his head.

"Not yet but I'll figure some
thing out."

"I haven't thought it through completely but my mind is
made up that I'm staying
at least until he is back at
home and can take care of himself."

"I'm glad." Jungkook said, meaning it.

"I know he'll probably give
you a hard time about it but
I think he'll be glad too."

"He needs you right now."

He wanted to tell Jimin that
Pop wasn't the only one who needed him but now wasn't
the time.

Jimin was focused on what was best for Pop and rightly so.

The last thing he wanted to
do was to make this moment about himself.

He wanted Jimin to stay for purely selfish reasons and
even though he definitely planned on telling Jimin all of those reasons at some point, that conversation would
have to wait.

Right now, it was enough to know that Jimin would still be here tomorrow and the next
day and the next.

They still had some time.

There was still a chance that things could work out the
way Jungkook wanted.

The dream was still alive.